McDonald's puts patent on sandwiches

Begin forwarded message:

From: [email protected]
Date: November 25, 2006 2:11:03 AM EST
To: [email protected]
Subject: McDonald's puts patent on sandwiches

McDonald's puts patent on sandwiches

McDonald's wants to own the rights to how a sandwich is made.

The fast-food chain has applied for a patent relating to the 'method  
and apparatus' used to prepare the snack.

The burger company says owning the 'intellectual property rights'  
would help its hot deli sandwiches look and taste the same at all of  
its restaurants.

It also wants to cut down on the time needed to put together a  
sandwich, thought to have been dreamt up by the Earl of Sandwich in  
1762.

The 55-page patent, which has been filed in the US and Europe, covers  
the 'simultaneous toasting of a bread component'.

Garnishes of lettuce, onions and tomatoes, as well as salt, pepper  
and ketchup, are inserted into a cavity in a 'sandwich delivery tool'.

The 'bread component' is placed over the cavity and the assembly tool  
is inverted to tip out the contents. Finally, the filling is placed  
in the 'bread component'.

It explains: 'Often the sandwich filling is the source of the name of  
the sandwich; for example, ham sandwich.'

Lawrence Smith-Higgins, of the UK Patent Office, said: 'McDonald's or  
anyone else cannot get retrospective exclusive rights to making a  
sandwich.

'They might have a novel device, but it could be quite easy for  
someone to make a sandwich in a similar way without infringing their  
claims.'

McDonald's said: 'These applications are not intended to prevent  
anyone from using previous methods for making sandwiches.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html? 
in_article_id=26183&in_page_id=34